Use a flexible approach and accepted techniques for project management.

Maryland, New York, and Connecticut's experience with electronic toll collection and electronic screening.

Date Posted
03/14/2007
TwitterLinkedInFacebook
Identifier
2006-L00262

Electronic Toll Collection/Electronic Screening Interoperability Pilot Project Final Report Synthesis

Summary Information

In March 2001, the I-95 Corridor Coalition approved funding for an electronic toll collection/electronic screening (ETC/E-Screening) Interoperability Pilot Project for regional interoperability between ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) and E-screening. The long-term goal was to provide a model for national interoperability of DSRC (Dedicated Short-Range Communication Standards) applications. The project combined testing a single dual-mode DSRC transponder for both ETC and E-screening, and developing administrative and organizational structures to support interoperability beyond the Pilot Project. The Pilot Project's intent was to coordinate the Northeast's interoperable ETC program, E-ZPass, with the CVISN (Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks) E-screening deployments planned by Maryland and Connecticut. The Pilot Project was designed as a series of five incremental builds to incrementally establish functionality and address institutional and technical challenges that could potentially impact interoperability.

The Pilot Project successfully demonstrated the following: 1) Interoperable applications using a single transponder are both technically and institutionally feasible; 2) The CVISN model of electronic screening, where motor carriers are issued a transponder but not given a guarantee that simply having the transponder will result in a weigh station bypass, is both technically and operationally feasible; 3) The results of the mobility and efficiency tests demonstrate that interoperable applications do result in quantifiable benefits to the motor carrier industry; and 4) The application of ITS/CVO technologies and systems produces significant environmental benefits through reduced truck idling and emissions.

Lessons Learned

Using project management techniques and methods help deliver smarter ITS solutions on time and within budget. The failure of a project due to ineffective or poorly implemented project management activities is an all too frequent occurrence. The following lessons learned illustrate two important aspect of project management, 1) the flexibility of the approach, and 2) using accepted project management practices.

  • Adopt a flexible approach to project management. Without question, one of the key successes of this project has been the flexible approach to project management adopted by the project team. This approach supported the mid-term project review that resulted in the re-scoping of the project to eliminate the transponder subsidy for the motor carrier industry and to reallocate funds to support the development of on-line program enrollment capabilities. This flexible approach also enabled the project team to leverage the policy changes that enabled the creation of super accounts, thus enabling the creation of Best Pass, PrePass Plus, and the extensive outreach efforts by MMTA (Maryland Motor Truck Association) and NYSMTA (New York State Motor Truck Association) to promote their super accounts.
  • Use established project management and State IT methodologies and to support system development. This will also help ensure that the system is integrated with existing systems, which will help increase system efficiency and improve customer satisfaction.



The experiences from the electronic toll collection/electronic screening project demonstrated the importance of project management in terms of maintaining a flexible approach and using accepted project management practices. By following the advice of these lessons, the chances increase for delivering smarter ITS solutions on time and within budget, with a higher degree of customer satisfaction.